“Oh, don’t be a blithering idiot, Jake!” said Bunny in hot discomfiture.  Jake’s hand grasped his shoulder.  “Sit down, and bring yourself to my level for a minute!  Maybe I am a blithering idiot, maybe I’m not.  But I could take you by the heels and dip you in the horse-pond round the corner if I felt that way.  So you’d better keep as civil as possible.  It won’t make a mite of difference to me, but it may to you.”

Bunny sat down, breathing hard.  His cigarette fell to the ground and he stooped for it, but Jake, still holding his shoulder, stooped also, picked it up and flung it straight out of the window.

“You smoke too many of ’em,” he said, as he did it.

“Damn you!” said Bunny in a voice of concentrated fury.

He would have sprung to his feet, but Jake’s hands were upon him like iron clamps and kept him seated.

He spoke, his voice soft, unhurried, even humorous.  “I’m only a beastly groom, you know, Bunny.  You don’t expect good manners from me, do you?”

Bunny shrank a little, as if something in the words pierced him.  Jake’s eyes, very bright but wholly free from anger looked straight into his.  For some reason he ceased to strain against the compelling hands and sat passive.

There followed a somewhat tense silence before he said, “Well, go on!  I knew you wanted to row me about something.  What’s it all about?”

His voice was sullen but his attitude was no longer hostile.  He looked ashamed.

Jake sat down suddenly on the edge of the writing-table.  “Say, Bunny!” he said gently.  “Do you know you’re the only man in the world that can send me to perdition and not have his teeth knocked down his throat for his officiousness?”

Bunny looked up at him, and in a moment, like the flash of sunshine from behind a cloud, he was smiling.  “Oh, get out, Jake.  I suppose you’re going to wipe the floor with me now.  I didn’t mean it and I’m sorry.  Let’s get on from there!”

His hand gripped Jake’s hard.  There was something very winning about him at the moment, something that appealed strongly to the older man though he did not instantly reply.  He kept the boy’s hand in his for a moment, and his eyes were very kindly as he looked into the thin young face.

“Guess you know I’m pretty fond of you, my son,” he said at length, “but I don’t figure to let you go to the devil unhindered on that account.”

Bunny whistled.  “Who’s going?  Oh, don’t be an ass, Jake, will you?”

“No, I won’t,” said Jake, “at least not the soft variety.  Reckon I’ve been too soft with you, Bunny, as long as I’ve known you.”

Bunny stirred restlessly in his chair.  “Think so?” he said.  “Well, it’s a good fault, old chap.  I can’t stand bullying from anyone—­makes me see red at once.”

“I know,” Jake said.  “I’ve never bullied you anyway.  But I’m on the war-path now, and you’ve got to take your physic whether you like it or not.  Say, Bunny, how much money did you drop at the races this afternoon?”